Music icon D’banj has credited American rapper Kanye West as the first international artist to promote Afrobeats on a global scale.
Speaking on the ‘Listen’ podcast, D’banj revealed that West’s interest in African music played a crucial role in bringing the genre to the Western world.
D’banj recalled meeting West in Dubai, where the rapper expressed his fascination with Afrobeats after learning about it from university students.
This meeting eventually led to D’banj and Don Jazzy being signed to West’s record label, Good Music.
D’banj acknowledged Kanye’s significant influence in pushing Afrobeats beyond Africa, describing him as a pioneer who not only embraced the genre but elevated it to new heights.